Complete Guide to Custom Full Wiring Kits for Campervans

When it comes to converting your campervan into a fully functional, off-grid living space, the electrical system is one of the most critical but often overlooked elements. Whether you’re powering essential appliances, charging devices, or simply lighting up your interior, having a reliable and efficient wiring system is key. This is where custom full-wiring kits come into play. Unlike, off-the-shelf solutions, custom wiring kits are tailored to meet the unique demands of your campervan, ensuring that everything runs smoothly and safely.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the benefits of custom full wiring kits for your campervan conversion, what’s included in these kits, and how to install them. By the end, you’ll understand why choosing a custom solution is the best way to power your adventures.

Why Choose a Custom Full Wiring Kit?

These kits are designed with the specific needs of your own campervan in mind. Here’s why opting for a custom kit can be suitable and simple:

1. Tailored to Your Vehicle: Every individual is unique, as is their campervan, and so are its electrical needs. A custom wiring kit is designed based on the exact specifications of your van, ensuring a tailored fit. This means that all the components—from cables to connectors—are cut to the right lengths and matched to your van’s layout, reducing the risk of errors and ensuring a cleaner installation.
2. Comprehensive Coverage: A custom full wiring kit includes everything you need for a complete installation and nothing you don't. This typically covers wiring for lighting, power outlets, solar panels, batteries, and other essential systems. With a custom kit, you won’t need to worry about sourcing additional parts or component compatibility—everything is ready to go.
3. Higher Quality Components: Off-the-shelf wiring kits often compromise on quality to keep costs low. In contrast, custom kits prioritize the use of high-quality materials that are built to last. This includes heavy-duty cables, robust connectors, and weather-resistant components designed to withstand the rigors of life on the road. We also like building in modular systems to make any future upgrades/repairs simple and cost-effective. 
4. Safety and Compliance: Electrical systems in campervans must meet specific safety standards to ensure reliable operation. Our wiring kits are designed with these regulations in mind, providing peace of mind that your setup is safe and compliant with all relevant guidelines.
5. Ease of Installation: While the thought of wiring a campervan might seem daunting, custom kits are designed to simplify the process. With detailed instructions and components labeled for easy identification, even those new to DIY van conversions can understand their electrical system.

What’s Included in a Custom Full Wiring Kit?

When you choose this option, you’re getting more than just wires and connectors. Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect:

• Wiring Harnesses: Pre-cut and labelled wiring harnesses are designed to connect every part of your electrical system efficiently.
• Fuse Boxes: High-quality fuse boxes protect your circuits from overloads and ensure safety.
• Switch Panels: Pre-wired switch panels for controlling your lighting and other electrical systems with ease.
• Battery Connectors: Heavy-duty connectors and terminals for secure battery connections.
• Inverter Cables (if required): Cables designed to handle the load of your inverter, ensuring consistent power delivery.
• Bonding Wires: Essential for safety, these wires help prevent electrical faults and protect your van’s electrical system.
• Installation Guide: A step-by-step guide that walks you through the installation process, making it easy to set up your system correctly.

How to Install Your Custom Full Wiring Kit

Installations should be carried out by competent individuals and checked by a qualified electrician.  

There are full walkthroughs in our help and instructions page for each type of kit.

Installing a custom wiring kit in your campervan is a task that requires attention to detail, but with the right approach, it’s entirely manageable. Here’s a simplified overview of the installation process:

1. Dry fit your battery and main components: Once your wiring kit arrives safely with you, check the battery fits in the camper electrics plan location, but do not connect it, the same with your chargers, inverters and other components which are nearby on the plan. This will help you to determine exactly where to run your cables for the neatest, best install. 
2. Laying the Wiring: Start by laying out the wiring harnesses according to your supplied plan. We’d recommend a dry run on the floor if you have space to make sure everything is as expected. After this, start running cables, and make sure to secure the wires in place using conduits, cable ties or clips to prevent movement during travel. It’s important to keep wires away from sharp edges and moving parts to avoid damage.
3. Installing the Fuse Box: The fuse box is a critical part of your electrical system, protecting your circuits from overloads. Mount the fuse box in the plan location, and connect the wires according to the instructions. 
4. Connecting the Components: Once the wires and fuse box are in place, begin connecting them to the relevant components, for anything we’ve supplied, this should be pretty simple plug and play or bolt together. For other things, like your fridge, you’ll just need to crimp a few connectors on using a good ratchet crimping tool first. Follow the installation guide provided with your kit, ensuring that each connection is secure and matches the labels.
5. Setting Up the Switch Panel: Install the switch panel in a convenient location, such as near the entrance of your campervan. Connect the wires to the panel using the 8-pin easy plugs for a simple connection.
6. Testing Your System: Once everything is connected, it’s time to test your system. There is detailed guidance in our fitting walkthroughs on the testing.  Check earths and bonds first, then resistance check connections before fitting the battery or plugging in the mains. Then, check each circuit to ensure that it’s functioning correctly. If any issues arise, consult the troubleshooting section of your installation guide.

Why We Prefer Custom Kits to Off-the-Shelf Solutions

While off-the-shelf wiring kits may seem convenient, they often come with limitations that can affect the performance and safety of your campervan’s electrical system. Here’s why custom kits are the better choice:

• Exact Fit: Custom kits are designed specifically for your vehicle, ensuring a perfect fit and reducing the need for modifications.
• Time Saved: Even the most experienced converter can save time with pre-made kits. Many of our customers are regular converters, more than capable of designing a whole system, but they chose our custom camper wiring kits to save them time and ensure repeatability. 
• Safety Assurance: With a custom kit, you’re getting a system that’s designed to meet safety standards, giving you peace of mind on the road.
• Simplified install: It requires less van-specific knowledge to fit a pre-wried kit as you don’t need to start voltage drop, fuse rating and other highly specialised calculations from scratch.